Monthly Archives: February 2014

I learned this recipe this when I worked at Mustard’s Grill in Oakville, California where I was fortunate enough to have one of my first restaurant jobs. My first job in the Mustard’s kitchen was working in the pantry. The pantry cook plates or takes part in the preparation of salads, appetizers, various side dishes, and desserts. It is the basic starter position on the cooking line where there are cooks working the grill, saute, and otherwise. Making the batter for and griddling the very tasty Pasilla Corncakes was one of the many jobs I undertook while on pantry duty, and the recipe is imprinted on my brain to this day.

This recipe for Bittersweet Chocolate Shortbread is one the very best that I have hidden away in my arsenal. They are incredibly easy to make and perfect every time. How perfect your end result will depend entirely on the quality of the ingredients you choose to use. It WILL make a difference. So just trust me and use the pricier Valrhona cocoa powder instead of the standard Dutch processed. I have been making this recipe for almost 20 years and know for a fact from testing it out every which way that using the Valrhona chocolate and high quality butter make a far superior cookie.

I know its not very exciting, but my thirst quencher of choice would have to be purified water, served flat and at room temperature. But every now and then I go a little crazy and indulge in fresh lemonade or iced tea, even an occasional root beer. On a recent visit to a Los Angeles restaurant I had a house made ginger beer that was a crisp, cool, and refreshing libation that left me with cravings for more. I set out to perfect a recipe of my own that would be simple to prepare and a little better for me that the one I had. Made with fresh raw ginger root, this formula for homemade spicy ginger beer is just what I was after.